05 Feb 2025
They were three singing sisters from St Albans who collaborated with some of the biggest stars of the sixties and seventies – but have you heard of The Carolines?
The group consisted of twins Carolyne and Helen Samuels and their sibling Marion, and enjoyed fleeting success as backing singers with the likes of Joe Cocker, PJ Proby and Tony Christie.
They eventually called it a day in 1973 when Carolyne moved to Johannesburg, but have never forgotten their moment in the spotlight.
The sisters, who attended Alma Road Infants (closed in the early 1960s), Fleetville Junior and Sandfield Girls School in Hatfield Road (closed in 1975), were brought up in Granville Road and Spencer Gate.
Although they were big fans of St Albans group The Zombies, who they saw at Sandridge Village Hall, otherwise they did not go out locally to watch bands, so were quite sheltered when they hit the big time.
The Carolines were formed after their mother saw an advert in The Stage looking for female backing groups. They were just 13 and 14 when they auditioned in front of Vic Keary, who went on to become their recording manager.
They were originally named after Radio Caroline, which had been around from 1964, but had to change their name to The Carols to avoid confusion with another group called The Carolines.
The girls were subsequently booked on many recording sessions, including backing The Pioneers on ‘Let Your Yeah be Yeah’, Jimmy Cliff with ‘You Can Get It If You Really Want It’. and ‘Young, Gifted and Black’ and ‘Pied Piper’ for Bob and Marcia.
As The Carolines, The Carols, and even The Cheynes, they recorded ‘Love Made a Fool of Me’ (1965) ‘Give Me Time’ (1966), ‘Every Day I Have to Cry Some’ (1970) and ‘April Fool’ (produced by Mike Batt in 1971).
They also appeared on TV’s The Golden Shot when Desmond Dekker performed ‘The Israelites’.
We caught up with Carolyne, whose married name is Martin, to reflect on some of the highlights of her musical career both with her sisters and as a songwriter on her own.
She recalled how The Carols joined various other artists to record ‘I’ll Get By With A Little Help From My Friends’ at Abbey Road Studios with Joe Cocker.
“It was a little nerve-racking having Joe in the studio listening to us!”
She said one of their most memorable experiences was working with Tony Christie, accompanied by a full eight-piece band. The sisters subsequently spent Christmas with the singing legend and his wife while on tour with him.
“He and Sue lived in Sheffield, and it was too far to travel back to St Albans so we just watched TV with them, we never forgot that.”
They reunited a few years ago: “He’s still such a gentleman!” she said.
During the course of their career The Carolines performed at some huge gigs, including in front of a crowd of 10,000 people at Trafalgar Square for Christian Aid Week, and at the London Palladium in October 1971 on the same bill as Diana Ross and comedian Mike Reid.
As she was the main songwriter and organiser, the group called it a day when Caroline moved to South Africa, where she found session work immediately and wrote a B-side for the South African group CLOUT, who also recorded ‘Substitute’.
“I’m still in touch with Miriam Stockley in the USA (Amadeus) and Cindy Alter from CLOUT,” she said.
Carolyne and Helen now both live in Milton Keynes, with Marion in Watford: “These days the singing is usually in a local choir, but I still have an interest in the business which of course is largely all downloads now, no CDs or cassettes!”
